We now need an innings from Pope similar to his 196 against India in Hyderabad that won us that Test. Would take half that in this situation to be honest!
I got an an alert on my phone in which Google were trying to tell me Pakistan's innings was over but due to a typo it claimed it was England that were all out. Took me a few overs to get round to opening the BBC text commentary, the first comment I saw recommended that I should watch from behind the sofa and it turns out Google weren't all that far wrong.
We now need an innings from Pope similar to his 196 against India in Hyderabad that won us that Test. Would take half that in this situation to be honest!
Why do other teams have proper spinners who can move the ball both ways whereas England mostly have "slow" bowlers. Going back to the days of Embury & Edmonds, through to Ashley Giles and now Leach.
He is like a rabbit in headlines. Has always been a nervy starter but, once in, he does have the ability to go big. Problem is that when the confidence is down, he has that horrible jerky movement at the ball. I don't even think that it's got anything to do with him batting at 3 because he averages over 40 in that position. He is also probably a victim on playing half his matches in county cricket at the Oval (that's not a dig at Surrey by the way) as their wickets tend to be the best and the least suited to spin. If we take out that one big innings of 196 against India then he is averaging 21.73 in Asia and that rather says it all about his ability to play spin.
Smith not going to NZ means that the rest of the top order is safe for that series.
And conditions there may suit Pope more.
I know he normally plays 4 but lots of other teams would use it as a chance to play Cox at 3 to see how he does
Not with keeping too. Even when doing the job occasionally at Kent Cox would never bat above 5. It's too much to expect a rookie to do both especially one that didn't keep last season.
Smith not going to NZ means that the rest of the top order is safe for that series.
And conditions there may suit Pope more.
I know he normally plays 4 but lots of other teams would use it as a chance to play Cox at 3 to see how he does
Not with keeping too. Even when doing the job occasionally at Kent Cox would never bat above 5. It's too much to expect a rookie to do both especially one that didn't keep last season.
Of course, you'd have to play a more conventional WK too or give Pope the gloves down the order. Wouldn't be ideal but would be interesting to see how he played down the order too
Smith not going to NZ means that the rest of the top order is safe for that series.
And conditions there may suit Pope more.
I know he normally plays 4 but lots of other teams would use it as a chance to play Cox at 3 to see how he does
Not with keeping too. Even when doing the job occasionally at Kent Cox would never bat above 5. It's too much to expect a rookie to do both especially one that didn't keep last season.
Of course, you'd have to play a more conventional WK too or give Pope the gloves down the order. Wouldn't be ideal but would be interesting to see how he played down the order too
Sorry I thought you meant for the NZ tour for which there isn't another frontline keeper. Pope isn't up to it with the gloves and we can't have Surrey having numbers one, two and three England keepers in any case!
Smith not going to NZ means that the rest of the top order is safe for that series.
And conditions there may suit Pope more.
I know he normally plays 4 but lots of other teams would use it as a chance to play Cox at 3 to see how he does
Not with keeping too. Even when doing the job occasionally at Kent Cox would never bat above 5. It's too much to expect a rookie to do both especially one that didn't keep last season.
Of course, you'd have to play a more conventional WK too or give Pope the gloves down the order. Wouldn't be ideal but would be interesting to see how he played down the order too
Sorry I thought you meant for the NZ tour for which there isn't another frontline keeper. Pope isn't up to it with the gloves and we can't have Surrey having numbers one, two and three England keepers in any case!
I did mean NZ, I was suggesting they've got the squad wrong!
Smith not going to NZ means that the rest of the top order is safe for that series.
And conditions there may suit Pope more.
I know he normally plays 4 but lots of other teams would use it as a chance to play Cox at 3 to see how he does
Not with keeping too. Even when doing the job occasionally at Kent Cox would never bat above 5. It's too much to expect a rookie to do both especially one that didn't keep last season.
Of course, you'd have to play a more conventional WK too or give Pope the gloves down the order. Wouldn't be ideal but would be interesting to see how he played down the order too
Sorry I thought you meant for the NZ tour for which there isn't another frontline keeper. Pope isn't up to it with the gloves and we can't have Surrey having numbers one, two and three England keepers in any case!
I did mean NZ, I was suggesting they've got the squad wrong!
I hope that's the last time we see Crawley in an England shirt. Unbelievably He's got 50 caps and averages in the mid twenties. He gives his wicket away continuously . Time for a new partner for Duckett and Pope should be looking over his shoulder as well..
Comments
Gets Duckett out, not from an attacking shot but from trying to defend.
15-2 (5.1)
We have no idea against spin. Apart from Jamie Smith that is.
Aaaargh.
20-3
It's a position nobody wants to bat at.
24-3 and 53 runs behind still
All over by Lunch tomorrow ??
I can see smoke so Pope could be in trouble...
When does the monsoon season start ?
Would never happen at Old Trafford
And conditions there may suit Pope more.